Despite its mild beginning, winter definitely packed a punch this year. It’s also kept many families cooped up indoors. If your family is anything like mine, you’re ready to throw open those windows and let spring in.
While warm weather is right around the corner, and should have us all running for the nearest park, playground or even the backyard, let’s take a moment to be sure any and all outside activities are done safely and with as little risk for injury as possible.
Here are five quick tips to remember.
1. Make sure everyone wears a helmet.
A family bike ride, skateboarding, inline skating, scooters and horseback riding are all great ways to get exercise and enjoy the outdoors. But all require a well-fitting helmet. Wearing a bicycle helmet is the best way to prevent a brain injury. A helmet fits well if it sits level on the head and isn’t tilted forward or backward. It should sit low on the forehead so that the rim is two finger-widths above the eyebrows. The chin straps should fasten snugly under the chin, and be tight enough that no sudden pulling could move it around. Knee, wrist and elbow pads are also recommended, especially for kids just learning to ride or skate, if you want to avoid the prospect of physical therapy for a broken wrist, for example.
Get more bike safety tips, as well as other safety tips and videos.
2. Inspect the swing set.
Since falls cause most playground injuries, inspect your play set thoroughly and make sure no parts have broken or come off. Make sure the play set is free of rust, splinters, rotting wood and sharp edges. And check the surface below the play set. You may need to lay down more wood chips, sand or mulch. If you head to a community playground, give that equipment the same once over. Be sure to supervise young children when they’re on any playground – be it your own or one in the community.
3. Check your grill.
An outdoor barbecue is a great way to celebrate spring. But before firing up the grill, make sure air tubes aren’t blocked and grill hoses aren’t cracked or brittle. If you suspect a leak, do not attempt to light the grill until hoses are replaced. Pull charcoal grills away from the house to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Keep an eye on toddlers while the grill is in use to avoid burns.
4. Separate your kids from your yard work.
You may be itching to clean your yard after a rough winter, but your kids are just as itchy to get out and play! Keep small children out of the yard while you’re using any type of lawnmower and turn the mower off if the kids do venture outside. And as fun as it may look, never carry a child with you on the riding mower.
5. Keep spring cleaning safe.
No doubt spring cleaning will include opening windows, but be sure to install window guards, or open windows from the top, to prevent children from falling out. You will also want to check your floorboards as well just in case you’ve had a few visitors over the winter months, e.g. termites. If you have got a few of those critters then you will need to contact companies like https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/termite-control/ to make sure that they are professionally eradicated with these services, otherwise, they could muscle their way back in and you do not want to be dealing with more months from now. If you clear the house of old paint, cleaning supplies, medicines, and other poisonous substances, be sure to dispose of them safely. Check with the Delaware Solid Waste Authority or your local solid waste collection service for a schedule of Household Hazardous Waste Collection events. All other household chemicals, automotive and gardening products should be stored in a locked location where children can’t reach them.
